Chapter 172: Bonding
Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Addis
The bustling crowd at Sunset City’s main teleportation point naturally caught the attention of nearby players. The Global Channel erupted with discussions, with many players speculating whether something major had happened with Fruit Platter. In particular, the Global Channel was flooded with question marks.
[???]
[What’s going on? Isn’t it the victory banquet for Fruit Platter? I was planning to go to Sunset City for the experience banquet.]
[Could it be that there’s a Global-level quest? Why else would so many people be running off?]
[That makes sense! It must be a big quest!]
[I don’t know why they’re running, so I just followed them.]
[So where are they teleporting to?]
[I just heard—they’re heading to the Purple Flower Valley…]
As the news spread, it quickly reached various major guilds. Within minutes, it became known that there was a Global-level quest in the Purple Flower Valley, and all the elite teams from Fruit Platter had rushed over to claim the quest, which was said to offer extremely rich rewards. Global-level quests were rare, with only a few having occurred before, usually involving unexpected Global bosses. Naturally, the emergence of such a big quest drew widespread attention.
Several major guild elite teams also mobilized quickly, heading to the Purple Flower Valley map to search for quest clues.
Meanwhile, the Fruit guild members who had caused this commotion were completely unaware of the issue because by the time they arrived, the path to the Moon Elder’s Hall was already open.
The wedding system in Celestial Horizon, also known as the Dao Partner System, allowed willing couples to apply for a marriage contract at the Moon Elder Shrine’s small child during auspicious times. They would then enter a special scene for a compatibility test. If they successfully passed the test, they would be teleported to the center of the flower sea at the Moon Elder Shrine. From there, they would walk along the red carpet that led up to the Moon Elder’s Hall, floating in the sky, where the Moon Elder would preside over the wedding ceremony.
The contract had to be applied for during the auspicious time, but the wedding ceremony could be held anytime after passing the test. The Moon Elder Shrine was open all day to accommodate players who could marry as soon as they completed the test.
However, there was a catch: the Moon Elder Shrine map did not allow flying. To reach the Moon Elder’s Hall, one had to use the flying red carpet generated during the test.
Therefore, couples usually informed their friends and family after passing the test, and everyone would walk the red carpet to the Moon Elder’s Hall to join the celebration. In other words, if they arrived late, there would be no free elevator rides; they would have to pay the NPC to use the magpie to fly up, and the magpie only allowed a viewing position from the outer edge, offering a limited view of the ceremony below.
“Where are they?”
“They should be in the test scene, right? We can go outside and wait; we should be able to make it.”
“The big shots should clear it quickly, maybe in half an hour.”
Sunset City had a teleportation point directly to the Purple Flower Valley. By the time the Fruit guild members teleported over, the flying red carpet was already laid out in the sky.
“Whose red carpet is that? Should we just wait up there?”
“That’s odd. I heard that the auspicious time tonight was 7 PM? How did someone clear the test and get to the Moon Elder’s Hall so quickly?”
“Wow, hasn’t that broken the record? Why wasn’t there any announcement?”
The crowd looked up and saw two figures standing in the air, trying to identify which big shots had cleared the marriage test so quickly…
“Wait a minute??? Aren’t those Momo and UnchainedWanderer up there!”
“Wow?! That’s incredibly fast!” Apple was stunned by the scene; it had only been a few minutes, and they had already completed the task and flown up!?
In the sky, the two figures were dressed in red outfits, likely the Qixi Festival wedding costumes.
By now, they had already walked more than halfway, and once they finished, the red carpet would disappear.
The crowd was instantly stunned and, without thinking, rushed toward the red carpet. The red carpet was small and designed for only four people to walk side by side. With so many people squeezing onto it, it looked like an army trying to cross a narrow bridge, creating a visually overwhelming scene for the onlookers.
Especially at night, many young couples were seizing the auspicious time to apply for their marriage at the Moon Elder’s Shrine.
The marksman and healer, who were there to get married, almost got knocked over by the crowd. When they looked up, they saw a scene that was overwhelming for those afraid of crowds. The marksman said, “Newbies… Which guild is having a wedding and bringing so many people to cause a commotion?”
“Looking at the guild emblem, it seems to be the Fruit guild. It should be one of their managers getting married,” the healer said as they looked up. “But there are so many people, and it seems like other guilds’ members have joined as well.”
“It seems like recently there was a player offering some kind of wedding commotion service, with traditional Chinese music. I was thinking of finding someone to play some tunes,” the marksman said, recalling it.
Seeing the scene, the marksman decided against it, thinking, “This kind of commotion is too terrifying. The newlyweds must be completely squeezed out by now.”
The healer looked back and noticed the unusually large crowd at the Moon Elder’s Shrine for the first time. They said, “There are so many people at the teleportation point. Is today really a good day for weddings?”
The marksman pulled the healer away from the crowd and said, “Let the brothers from this afternoon know. They seem to be quite eager to get married. If too many people show up, they might not be able to apply because of the long queue at the NPC.”
The healer replied, “I checked the location, and the array master should be at the Moon Elder’s Shrine by now, so they should have managed to get in.”
Curious, the healer glanced up again but only saw a sea of heads without spotting the two newlyweds.
“Hey, something seems off…” the healer pointed into the distance and said, “Isn’t that an elite team from Veiled Cloud Sanctuary? And there’s Ren Xiaoyao… Zenith Expanse is here too.”
Was the wedding of the Fruit guild’s manager so influential that even rival guilds were showing up?
The marksman felt a shiver and pulled his beloved wife to the side. If it weren’t for the fact that the Moon Elder’s Shrine was a safe zone, there might have already been a scuffle.
“No wonder it’s a big guild. Even a wedding can turn into a big event. It’s thrilling,” he thought, imagining a dramatic scene of love rivals, scheming partners, and elite teams mobilized for a soap-opera-like wedding scenario.
[My gosh, everyone hurry to the Moon Elder’s Shrine to watch the show! This year’s most thrilling 818 event!!]
[I heard that a manager from the Fruit guild snatched the wife of a Zenith Expanse manager, and now the Zenith Expanse manager has brought people to crash the wedding!!]
[Is that true?]
[It seems to be true. I saw the elite team.]
[It must be true then. With both factions involved, I suspect that as soon as they leave the Moon Elder’s Shrine, they will start fighting!!]
[What? Isn’t the Moon Elder’s Shrine supposed to have a Global-level quest?]
[What? The Moon Elder’s Shrine has both a fight and a Global-level quest?]
[I’m coming right now!]
The Moon Elder’s Shrine looked stunning at night, with countless stars dotting the sky and the fragrance of flowers wafting through the air. It was very peaceful. Su Mo had always enjoyed the scenery of the Purple Flower Valley. He remembered planning with Lele to visit the real-life location of Purple Flower Star for a sightseeing trip once their physical condition improved. Since they didn’t need to complete a quest or pass a test, he and Yu Zhen took their time walking, enjoying the view as they strolled.
The weather had been so cold lately that their evening walks had become much less frequent.
At first, the scenery was beautiful and the surroundings were tranquil, but it wasn’t long before they were drowned out by the clamor.
“Why are there suddenly so many people?”
Su Mo looked down and saw a large crowd below. Not only that, but some people were even running up their red carpet, with the leading person looking somewhat familiar.
Yu Zhen paused slightly and glanced over. “That looks familiar. I think it might be ClearWind?”
Su Mo, “……?”
ScarletFruit and the others, who had come to watch the wedding, were walking at the very front of the Fruit guild’s army. After running for so long, as they neared their leader, ScarletFruit’s scattered thoughts suddenly regained clarity. The little question marks in his mind popped up one by one, making him somewhat confused about the current situation.
Wait a minute! Why did the wedding suddenly happen?!
What had happened while he was unaware?!
Were his two older brothers not supposed to be inseparable? When did their feelings change?!
When the large crowd reached Su Mo, they abruptly stopped. The Fruit guild members, unaware of the details, found the wedding both shocking and sudden. Nevertheless, they offered their heartfelt blessings to the newlyweds, each person voicing wishes for a long and happy marriage.
Su Mo looked at ScarletFruit, remaining silent but full of questions.
ScarletFruit was overwhelmed with confusion, unsure where to begin asking.
Nearby, ClearWind blurted out, “How can a wedding not have a grand spectacle!?”
This remark received unanimous agreement from everyone around.
“After all, it’s the champion of the Debate Conference; a wedding can’t be modest.”
“Our leader, BitterMelon, bought fireworks and said he was going to set them off here!”
“Where is BitterMelon?”
“Hey, why didn’t you guys tell us you were getting married?”
“Yeah, a wedding should be lively and fun.”
“My friend said that only a grand wedding can lead to a lasting marriage.”
“Don’t worry, we have plenty of people in the Fruit guild; we’ll make sure it’s a big affair.”
“……” Su Mo looked at Yu Zhen.
Yu Zhen looked at the endless crowd behind them, momentarily speechless, and finally said, “Let’s go up first.”
The red carpet was packed with people, and some were even being pushed out of the airspace. There were still people behind urging others to move forward. The scene resembled a traffic jam, but fortunately, the congestion didn’t last long before news came that the newlyweds ahead had started moving.
In the midst of the crowd, besides those at the front, everyone else was only half-informed.
Initially, people had come for the Global-level quest, but once they arrived, they realized it was something more. The crowd’s chatter quickly gave rise to two different theories: one claimed that there was a special quest at the Moon Elder’s Temple, while the other suggested that a Fruit guild manager had stolen someone’s lover, leading to a conflict with Zenith Expanse. There were indeed Zenith Expanse members present, adding to the excitement and causing rumors to spread rapidly.
Eventually, the two newlyweds at the front of the red carpet reached the Moon Elder’s Temple.
As soon as they reached the Moon Elder’s Temple, the red carpet disappeared from the very end, and more people couldn’t come up. Yet, it was the first time the Moon Elder’s Temple was this lively.
Su Mo and Yu Zhen entered the temple amidst the bustling atmosphere. Once inside, the scene changed, and the Moon Elder, leaning on a cane, stood in front of them. Reciting the phrase, “In heaven, may we be as birds of a feather; on earth, may we be as branches of a tree,” he brought their hands together. The red thread that had connected them in the Moon Elder’s Temple gradually shortened until it merged into their hands.
The Moon Elder, with a kind expression, said, “The marriage line has been established, and heaven and earth are witnesses. Bow to heaven and earth.”
Special wedding attire appeared on them. Wearing matching robes for same-sex partners, they followed the Moon Elder’s guidance and performed the ancient heaven-and-earth ceremony in the Moon Elder’s Temple. Su Mo’s hand was tightly held by Yu Zhen. The traditional ceremony was complex and solemn, and as they moved forward together, Su Mo’s usually sharp mind seemed to stop thinking altogether. He felt as if he had been contemplating many things, but in the end, couldn’t think of anything clearly.
During the final bow, Su Mo lowered his head, his heart racing fast.
[The marriage contract has been completed. You have received the [Soulmate Marriage Gift Pack] x1]
[Special relationship detected: [Fated Companions]. Special quest skill [Fate Thread Connecting a Thousand Miles] activated, granting the additional soulmate skill [Longing for Reunion]]
Two skills…?
One appeared to be a line-binding skill with a level of 3, and the other was a soulmate skill granted by the marriage contract.
“Momo.”
A deep voice reached Su Mo’s ears.
When he looked up, he saw Yu Zhen very close to him. He paused briefly, his gaze settling on Yu Zhen’s head.
Yu Zhen had already removed the ID concealment, and beneath UnchainedWanderer’s ID was a special title—[Momo’s Husband].
“Have you put on the title?” Yu Zhen asked.
Su Mo opened his backpack and saw the title [UnchainedWanderer’s Husband] inside. Without hesitation, he equipped it.
The noisy atmosphere was almost overwhelming. Su Mo stared at the title for a long time, feeling content.
“It’s on.”
The number of players entering the Moon Elder’s Temple increased, and the crowd grew larger, confirming that there was indeed a quest in the Moon Elder’s Temple.
“There are a lot of people here. I just checked the location, and Momo and Zhen Ge are also here,” HealsFor25000 looked up at the sky and said, “Strange, what are they doing here?” He had just received a message from Yu Zhen saying that the Fruit Guild was hosting a banquet tonight.
He had planned to join the festivities later, but to his surprise, the Fruit Guild’s banquet hadn’t even started; everyone was packed into the Moon Elder’s Temple.
“I heard there’s a Global-level quest here.”
BrokenOracle, who had been busy studying weapons, rushed over as soon as he heard the news. He asked CloudTraveller, “Do you know what’s going on? Do the Fruit Guild folks need help? I sent a message to their manager, but there’s been no reply.”
A Global-level quest was no small matter, often involving Global boss-class challenges, which the Fruit Platter people might not be able to handle alone.
CloudTraveller replied, “I haven’t heard back from BitterMelon either. They’re probably all up there.”
He wondered what kind of quest could be taking place in the Moon Elder’s Temple. Was it a Global storyline event involving the Moon Elder?
Seeing the now-gone red carpet in the sky, the Zenith Expanse elite team leader, Sleep, had no choice but to send his team members out to search for clues around the Moon Elder’s Temple, and to buy magpies from the NPC to fly into the sky.
“Keep an eye out for any overlooked clues,” Sleep said seriously, “Given that the Fruit Guild is making such a big fuss, it’s likely a 6-star or higher multiplayer quest. Since they haven’t triggered it yet, we still have a chance to beat them to it.”
As he finished speaking, a pink System announcement suddenly popped up in front of him.
[[System] Winged Together, Joyous Union. UnchainedWanderer and Momo have united in marriage at the Moon Elder’s Temple, with Heaven and Earth as witnesses, pledging to love each other till old age.]
The Zenith Expanse elite team, who had been flying around the Moon Elder’s Temple on magpies, was left speechless.
CloudTraveller and the others, who had been guessing about the quest, were confused and said, “?”
The onlookers, curious about which prominent figure’s dramatic love story had led multiple guilds to clash, exclaimed in shock, “What?!??”
At that moment, the Moon Elder’s Temple was bustling with activity. BitterMelon, who had finally squeezed out of the crowd, set off celebratory fireworks bought from the mall. The sky was filled with brilliant bursts of color. Once the commotion settled and Apple’s announcement that the ceremony was complete and it was time to head to Sunset City for the banquet was heard, BitterMelon slowly organized his messages and sent a reply, saying, “Huh? What quest? Is there a quest at the Moon Elder’s Temple?”
“Forgot to mention, you all came just in time. Would you like to come to Sunset City for the banquet tonight? ReturnToOrigin and Momo are getting married, and he’s treating everyone.”
